I saw this recipe on Cook’s Country and it was so beautiful I decided I had to try it. My family was skeptical about the flan portion but they loved it. It’s a perfect combination of creamy flan and a brownie like chocolate cake. Plan ahead, this cake takes at least 12 hours from start to finish, best to make it the night before.

Flan with Chocolate Cake

Cake:

1/2 c. caramel sauce

1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/3 c. cocoa powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

6 T. unsalted butter

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla

Flan:

2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

2 1/2 c. whole milk

6 oz. cream cheese

6 large eggs plus 4 large yolks

1 t. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup nonstick bundt pan. Microwave caramel until it can be easily poured. Pour it into the bundt pan and coat the bottom. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Melt butter and sugar over low heat in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk buttermilk, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter over caramel in bundt pan.

For the flan, put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor (may have to blend 1/2 at a time). Gently pour the batter into the bundt pan, Fill almost to the top (I had some extra that didn’t fit). Place the cake gently into a roasting pan and fill with warm water till it comes halfway up the bundt pan. Bake for 75 – 90 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean and the flan registers 180 degrees. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 2 hours then chill completely in fridge for at least 8 hours.

When you go to serve it, place bottom of bundt pan in warm water to gently melt the caramel. Place platter over cake and invert. Slowly remove the pan allowing the caramel to drizzle over the cake. Serve.

I gave a party awhile ago where the guest of honor was vegetarian and I wanted to serve a soup that was vegetarian and that was outstanding. So I asked my friend Eileen who loves good food and is also a vegetarian. This Curried Peanut Soup is one of her family’s favorites and now one of ours too!

Curried Peanut Soup

3 T. olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. curry powder

2 t. salt

1/2 t. black pepper

2 c. carrots, chopped (about 3 carrots)

1 c. celery, chopped (about 2 stalks)

6 c. vegetable stock (or chicken if you don’t need it to be vegetarian)

This Caramel Apple Cake is a rich, decadent bundt cake with a nice fruity tang that lightens it a bit. I make this every fall when the apples are just harvested.

Caramel Apple Cake

Cake:

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 t. fresh lemon juice

3 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 T. ground cinnamon

1 T. vanilla extract

3 c. granny smith apples, peeled and finely chopped

1 c. sweetened shredded coconut

1 c. chopped pecans

Caramel Sauce:

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/2 t. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a bundt cake pan.

In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, oil, lemon juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Mix well. Fold in the apples, coconut and pecan into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the warm cake slowly (I put the cake on cooling rack over a cookie pan to catch any extras that spill over). Cool for one hour before turning on to a rack to finish cooling.

I wanted something to go with our ham for Christmas dinner and thought that a potato gratin would be good and something the kids would like. I talked to a few people and looked at various recipes and this is what I came up with.

With a sharp knife or a mandoline, slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch slices.

Place the slices in a heavy saucepan with the milk, cream, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, while gently stirring occasionally.

When it boils, pour the mixture into a 3 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the potatoes with 1/2 c. cheese, gently fold the cheese into the potatoes. Then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c. cheese over the top of the potatoes.

Bake in the oven about 30 -40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is a deep golden brown. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 15 until the liquid has time to thicken.

When I was at a benefit dinner the other night, one of the side dishes was a carrot puree with a distinctive cumin flavor. It was delicious! But when I tried to recreate it I realized it was more than just carrots in it, there were other root vegetables that balanced the sweetness of the carrot. Here is my version of Roasted Winter Root Vegetables.

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

1 1/2 c. carrots, peeled and roughly chopped in 3/4 in. pieces

1 1/2 c. parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped in 3/4 in. pieces

1/2 c. turnip, peeled and roughly chopped in 3/4 in. pieces

1/2 sweet onion, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 1/2 t. cumin

2 T. olive oil

2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

1/2 -3/4 c. warmed chicken stock

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl toss all ingredients except the chicken stock until evenly coated. Pour onto sided cookie sheet and bake in oven for 30-40 min. You will know they are done when you can easily pierce all the vegetables and they are starting to brown.

When vegetables are done, immediately put in food processor and while processing add warmed chicken stock till you get a creamy puree. Before you serve, check the seasonings, you may want more salt or cumin depending on how smoky you like it.

We went to a friend’s house for dinner awhile ago and she served these Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Together we were 4 adults and 6 kids (she doubled the recipe of course!) and it was the perfect combo of a meal being delicious and kid-friendly at the same time. I made it for our dinner guests last night and it was a hit. Definitely one to add to the blog!

My friend, Cinnamon, brought this Wild Rice Salad over for an event at our house the other day, and I knew I had to add it to my website for summer entertaining. It is hearty enough to be a main dish with the chicken or you can leave the chicken out and it would be a great side dish.

Wild Rice Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 c. wild rice

1 1/2 c. water

salt to taste

2 c. diced cooked chicken

1 c. blanched and diced green beans

1 c. halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions

1/2 c. chopped Italian parsley

1/2 c. torn basil leaves

1/2 c. chopped toasted almonds

Dressing

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. white wine vinegar

1 t. salt

1 t. freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, bring the water to a boil, add a little salt, then stir in the rice. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Fluff the rice with a fork and add chicken, beans, tomatoes, onions, parsley, basil and almonds. Toss to mix.

Whisk the olive oil and canola oil with the vinegar, then whisk in the salt and pepper. I like to use small jam jars with lids to shake my dressings, they also work well for traveling with the dressing without fear of leaking.

Pour small amounts of dressing over salad till you get the desired amount.

We love quinoa! It’s easy to make and healthy to eat. You can add all different herbs and veggies to it to make a different meal every day of the week. I tried this quinoa pilaf the other night and the whole family loved it. We know you will too!

Quinoa Pilaf with Shallots and Crimini Mushrooms

Quinoa Pilaf with Shallots and Crimini Mushrooms

1 T. olive oil

1 shallot, peeled and finely diced

1 c. crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

1 1/2 c. quinoa

1/2 t. fresh thyme leaves removed from their stems

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 t. kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

3 c. chicken or vegetable stock or water

Place a saucepan on med-high heat. Add olive oil and heat till shimmering. Add the shallot and cook till translucent. Then add the crimini mushrooms and cook until brown. Add the quinoa, thyme leaves, bay leaf, kosher salt and black pepper to the pan. Stir and heat for about one minute until fragrent.

Slowly add the stock, it will splatter. When it comes to a full boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove from heat, fluff the quinoa and replace the lid and let sit for 10 minutes.